Maxin: Pilot of the Galaxies (Rogue Warriors Trilogy: Book 3)
by Aria Breuer
Summary: Maxin Dooley, on his graduation day, becomes pilot to his first starship. Little does he know about the adventure that awaits him, as well as Aslan's promise to him that his mother, Eliza Bowler-Dooley, will be kept safe, nor this mysterious woman that becomes his co-pilot. Maxin's search to find his father, Parker Dooley, has just begun. Sequel to 'The Renegade Alliance'.
1. Graduation Day

**Disclaimers:** I do not own _The Lord of the Rings_ , _The Chronicles of Narnia_ , and "Star Wars". They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, George Lucas, and Disney. All canon material belongs to their respected owners. All original material belongs to me, the authoress of this fanfiction story.

*.*.*

Welcome to the last part of my _Rogue Warriors_ trilogy, part of my Before the First Age Anthology. :) This isn't the end of my Origin Series, but after this story, we are heading into the last tetralogy for my Before the First Age Anthology.

This fanfic picks up where my other fanfic, _The Dark Dragonoid_ , left off, as well as during my other fanfic, _The Renegade Alliance_. This story will focus on Parker and Eliza Dooley's son, Maxin.

Without further ado, I present _Maxin: Pilot of the Galaxies_.

*.*.*

Rose Park Academy for Humans and Dragonoids was the most prestigious school in all of Dragon's Hallow. Its brown brick walls were visible amidst the beige walls and thatched houses strewn throughout the village. So why did Maxin Dooley, son of Parker and Eliza Dooley, feel like he wanted more? The feeling of owning his first starship was right in his grasp. This was to be the day he would get one!

The day when he would own his first ship and fly away from the Seven Realms, even from the Land of Dragons, which was in the Seven Realms. He wanted that more than anything! So, why was he still sitting in his bedroom, inside his parents' house, simply waiting until it was time to leave?

Maxin, for a nineteen-year-old man, had short blond hair, bright blue eyes, and fair features. Some would say he was rugged in appearance but bold in heart. He'd grown out of his reckless and clumsy stage. Well, he was still reckless, but not nearly as clumsy as he used to be. The clothes he donned on for today were his academy uniform, which consisted of a blue and gold jacket with gold buttons, a white dress shirt, blue-gold pants, and black shoes.

He looked himself in the mirror one last time, deciding that he was well enough to travel. He left the room, checking on his mother's bedroom to find her dressed in a black dress and black high heels. His human mother, Eliza Bowler-Dooley, had a thin frame, green eyes, that reminded Maxin's red dragonoid dad, Parker Dooley, of emeralds, fair features, and pale skin. She had a small nose, locks of curly brunette hair, with grey strands sticking out in places, and a cleft in her chin.

It had only been two weeks since Maxin's father disappeared from the Land of Dragons. No one had seen him since. So, it was a surprise when, on Maxin's graduation day, that Parker didn't show up at all. Maxin sighed, wondering when his father would ever attend anything that he wanted to do again.

"Don't blame your father too harshly, Maxin," Eliza said, checking her son's attire. "It's not his fault. He turned evil and now he's neutral. You must understand that!"

"He should come to my graduation," Maxin said, stubborn. He turned to a window, examining the outside world. He still couldn't believe how different his bedroom and his mother's bedroom were now that his father was gone.

Grey carpet could be found throughout the house. While both Maxin's room and his parents' bedroom had a four-poster beds, Maxin wound up with the full-sized bed, lined with red curtains, draped around the bed. Maxin's room, all along the grey-painted walls, were aviation posters. Some drawings Maxin did also lined the walls, making his bedroom unique amongst the rest of the house. His parents had the usual furniture in the room, including a writing desk. Their grey-painted walls were just plain, with a few paintings here and there on the dragonoids, as well as the history of the First World. A few pictures showed Maxin with his parents. Those would be the fondest memories he and his mother had, now that Maxin's father had disappeared.

Maxin hardly felt right knowing his father was out there and that he was missing his son's graduation day. How could his father do this to him?

Maxin shook his head. "He should be here! But he's not! I miss the old dragonoid, but I know he won't come back until we find him."

"I know," Eliza said, curtly. She smiled, intrigued, "Just think about it: after graduation is over, and you have your ship, you can assist us with the Renegade Alliance! The base is currently being built. I'm sure you'll be a great asset to the cause!"

"Mother," Maxin said, firmly, "after graduation is over, I want to travel and find a crew, as well as a co-pilot. Even if I do find my dad, it won't be the same. He'll miss the most important day in his son's life. My graduation." He shook his head. "I should have known it wasn't a coincidence. How can I forgive him?"

"You'll find a way to do so," Eliza said, smiling. "You forgave him two weeks ago."

"That was before I knew I would graduate. Now…" Maxin gave it some thought, "…now I just want to find him, to tell him, to show him pictures of my graduation, see what he missed! I don't want to be mad at him, but this is too complicated! Grr! Why did it have to be this way?" He looked out the window again in frustration. Nothing he did was helping. He needed some air. Maybe if he calmed down, things would be better. At least, that's what he hoped for.

"Come on. It's time," Eliza said, leading her son out of the bedroom and down the wooden stairs. She hoped he would feel better once they got to the academy. She hoped it, at least. If there was one thing she knew about this day, it wouldn't be the only important event in her son's life. He'd find a way to move on from this separation from his father, wouldn't he?

~o~

The auditorium inside Rose Park Academy was huge. There was wood-paneled walls and floors, where rows upon rows of black cushioned chairs sat before the stage, which was a giant platform with a few stairs leading up and down it. It was here that Maxin sat next to his friends in the middle row, alongside his other classmates. His legs shook. He was so nervous. Why was he nervous? Oh, because his dad was missing. Right.

He looked at where his mother sat, wondering how she was doing, how she was feeling. She must have been nervous, too. Maxin returned his gaze to the staff, dressed in their blue-gold uniforms, as they spoke to the crowd and to the students. At last, it was time for diplomas, upon which Maxin found his name called and where he was granted the piloting degree.

"Good luck, son," a tall reddish-orange dragonoid said, shaking Maxin's hand. The reddish-orange dragonoid pulled him in, whispering in his ear, "The Renegade Alliance needs you! Report to base when you're ready. We'll give you your first assignment."

"Right," Maxin said, realizing that maybe he was a part of his mother's rebellion against Vitiate after all. As he nodded to the crowd, just after the dragonoid released him, Maxin caught a glimpse of the golden-brown Lion named Aslan, bowing to him. Maxin walked down the stage, before approaching him. "You've heard word of my father? How's he doing?"

"He needs your help. He has turned neutral, but he needs you to help him seeing the light, see the good in life," Aslan said, concerned. "Make sure you come to the temporary base in two hours. I have an assignment of my own to give you. And you will need a ship."

"I thought I already got one," Maxin said, checking his diploma. No way! It didn't say when he'd get his ship! Just that he received his piloting degree. "How? How?"

"Meet me at the temporary base. We can discuss your ship and everything else as soon as possible. I promise. You will see your dad again," Aslan said, trying to calm him down.

"I hope you're right." Maxin said, closing his diploma. He wouldn't forget his father missed graduation. _His_ graduation. He just hoped he could mend the bond between him and his father, before something else happened to them. Again.

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)

 **References:**

Vitiate comes from the "Star Wars" galaxy.


	2. Melena

Maxin returned home with his mother to a semi-clean house. The purple cushioned couch and blue cushioned chairs was clearly visible, as well as the dark oak coffee table nestled in front of the couch, and the grey-carpeted floor that seemed to have found its way down to the ground floor. Maxin sighed. His father, Parker, used to leave a mess here, in the living room, and throughout the house. Now that he was gone, seeing the house semi-clean was a bit weird.

His dad may have messed things up at home, whether having parchment and books strewn about the house, as well as with his life and with his family, but he had a good heart, at least, while he was still good. Now, Maxin wondered if his dad would be the same red dragonoid he knew. Even that small sense of hope would ensure Maxin that his father was all right, changed or otherwise.

Maxin didn't wait for his mother's instruction. Instead, he retreated upstairs to his bedroom and shut the door, deciding to change out of his academy uniform and back into casual clothing. He changed into a blue shirt, brown trousers, white socks, brown leather boots, and his red leather jacket, which he was surprised still fit him.

He looked himself in the mirror and called it good, before heading downstairs to meet with his mother. Eliza said nothing about his apparel, as she herself changed out of her dress and into a white shirt, brown pants, black boots, and a brown jacket. She also looked ready to face the world. Was that a good thing?

"You coming? Aslan's going to meet us at the temporary base soon. We must hurry," Eliza said, heading out the door without another word. Before Maxin said two words, he watched his mother take off on one of the family speeder bikes, a bike with a fin towards the front of the bike, while the bike itself levitated off the ground.

Great! Maxin hadn't expected that, but the local restaurant certainly seemed like a better option. He trotted over to the restaurant in silence, reached the restaurant, and stepped inside, discovering it had ornate lights hanging from the ceiling, as well as a wood-paneled floor, beige walls, and various round tables and chairs. Maxin found his way over to an empty table and sat down, admiring the menu.

He looked up upon seeing a woman with curly locks of brunette hair, green eyes as fair as crystals, and donned in brown robes enter the restaurant. A natural beauty, by the looks of her. She looked at him, pulled out her staff, and sat down directly across from him. My, my, what was she doing here? And why did she look older than him? Surely, this must be a mistake.

"Oh, were you sitting here?" The woman asked, laughing. "I'm so sorry. I must have mistaken you for Parker Dooley."

"He's my father," Maxin said, cautious. "What do you want with him?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to talk to him about my sisters. How are they doing?" the woman asked, curtly. "How's Aslan doing? I hear he wants you involved with the rebellion, taking place at the village's temporary base." She whispered to him, "If I were you, I would leave this restaurant now. Otherwise, you miss your chance at stopping Vitiate and his soldiers!"

"Who are you?" Maxin asked, more cautious.

"My name is of little importance. Just be lucky I found you." The woman suggested, "How about you leave with me, come with me to the Renegade Alliance's temporary base. Do we have a deal?" She extended her hand to him, wondering if he would shake it. She retracted her hand, the moment Maxin glared at her. "Oh, I'm not supposed to be here, and um… neither are you."

"What do you want?" Maxin asked, tensely.

"Oh, I was about to ask you the same question." The woman prodded. "A young man like you should be helping the cause and assisting your family. Family is everything, lad. Surely, you must know that." She asked, out of curiosity, "By the way, where is Parker? Did he really turn neutral, as they say he did?"

Maxin shook his head. "I don't know what you want with me or my family, but I would like for you to leave."

"It's your choice to follow the cause. I had expected you to be the one who would find out where the Shadow Empire is located, rescue your dad, and help me find my sisters, wherever those three are hiding," the young woman stood up and walked away. What she left behind on the table was a disc-like ship. Maxin stared at the ship in wonder. It was a freighter, like the ones found in the Galaxy Far, Far Away.

Did this woman really want him to join the Renegade Alliance? Was she that desperate? He wanted to be angry with his dad; but then, how could he? Maybe they would talk, maybe they wouldn't. It didn't matter. If finding his father again would bring a resolution to this mess, then maybe there was a way to reconcile the bond between them. Maxin just hoped she was right.

He looked up, taking the toy ship with him as he ran towards her. He admitted, his mind made up, "I'd like to see my dad again, to make amends."

"It's not your fault he missed your graduation. He probably didn't hear anything about it. How could anyone when it was announced on the spot, right?" The young woman asked, heading outside.

"What do you mean he didn't hear about it? Hey!" Maxin followed her out to the village square, determined to get some answers. "If you know so much about me, why haven't I heard of you? You didn't tell me your name, miss."

The young woman sighed, deciding to tell him, "Alright, my name is Melena, but in another galaxy, in another dimension, I will be known as Melanie Hopson. It's a long tale." She looked away for a moment. A thought crossed her mind. She decided to ask Maxin instead, "Hey, you're looking for a co-pilot, right? I've seen my fair share of ships. I've flown ships in the past. I even flew the escape pod that helped my sisters and me escape the First World. But there was a problem with the escape pod."

She paused. "By the time the escape pod landed in this world, it split in two. My mother and my sisters were taken from me, sent through another portal. I was brought to this world. I don't know what happened to rest of my family." She added, "There was also a brother and a father. The Shaman of the Whills is my father. My brother's name is Daaron, but he goes by Tack. My sisters are Qua'ra, Kat'ka, and an unknown sister, who I didn't catch her name before we were parted. Now, I have no way to get to them. I'm the eldest, even though Qua'ra won't admit it. She claims she's the eldest and boy, is she wrong!

"I'm also a shapeshifter and can transform into a lioness, not a scarred lioness since I didn't receive the jagged scars like my brother and my sisters did, but oh well," Melena said, finishing her speech. "I want to help you out if I can."

"Welcome aboard," Maxin said, delighted to hear her story in full. "My mother is this way, I think." He led Melena down the cobbled street, right to a makeshift spaceport, a giant building where ships entered and left the spaceport's docking bays. This was the temporary base his mother and various leaders were using for the time being. Oh yes, there was the golden-brown lion named Corin and the scarred golden-brown lion named Tack. Maxin pointed out Tack to her. "There he is! Go talk to him. Re-introduce yourself to him."

"Um… it's been a long time. I don't know what I'd say to him," Melena said, stunned.

"Tack is friendly. He won't bite much!" Maxin said with confidence.

"Okay," Melena said, walking towards Tack. For a moment, the two stopped, locked eyes with each other. Melena didn't know what to do until Tack ran up to her, pounced her, and loved her up. Melena smiled, listening to his purrs, as she petted him and hugged him back. Oh, she missed her brother!

"Welcome back, sis," Tack said, recognizing his sister. He moved away of her, saying, "Um… welcome to base."

"It's very nice to be here!" Melena said, standing up.

"Where's my ship?" Maxin asked deliberately.

"Your ship will be here soon. Come, Maxin. There's a lot we need to catch up on," Aslan said, beckoning for Maxin to follow him into the spaceport. Maxin followed, not knowing what he was getting himself into. All that mattered was that he was here, as was his mother. Now, all he needed to do was find his father and bring him home, if Parker still wanted to come home, that is.

*.*.*

 **References:**

Melanie "Melena" Hopson appears in my fanfic, _The Search for Horcruxes_ , part of my Hobbit Wizards series. She's an Animagi in that series, but here she's Melena. She, my OC, has been around since I first worked on my Origin Series. That was long before I first wrote the Hobbit Wizards series. So, she's back! :)


	3. The Ebon Hawk

Maxin followed Aslan into an office with grey metal walls, a mahogany office desk with a chair behind it, and two chairs in front of it. There was plenty of papers stacked on bookshelves, inside bookcases, as well as figurines of animals in all different shapes, sizes, and colors, also sitting on the bookshelves.

Maxin took a good look around, wondering if this office was the best place to have this conversation. He asked the Great Lion, curious, "Where are we?"

"This is your mother's office," Aslan announced, calmly. "As you can see, she's a bit more organized than your father, when it came to sorting things out. A bit, I should say. I don't know how she could stand living in a messy house, though."

"My dad wanted it that way," Maxin said, confused. "Aslan, what's going on?"

"Your mission is simple, Maxin," Aslan said aloud, facing the lad. "Find your father and bring back a message here when you've found his base. You won't go alone. Melena will join you and Tack, too, in his human form. I know its hard to understand, but we need Tack to be Daaron once more. Your mother wishes for you to find the location of Parker's base. I cannot tell you where he is located. You must discover that for yourself."

"So, you're expecting me to go in blind? That's helpful," Maxin said, not liking this plan.

"I expect you to go galaxy hopping for a time. Get to know the locals on other planets, other star systems." Aslan sighed. "It's crucial that we uncover as many worlds as possible. I fear we will need their help, too."

"What if my dad starts looking for me? What do I do then?" Maxin asked, cautious.

"If he does find you, do not negotiate terms with him just yet," Aslan said, also cautious. "I will do my part to conceal you from your dad until the time comes when you two will have to meet again. Your father is far away, in another galaxy that is still new to this Universe." He said further, "Go to Docking Bay 4. There's a ship waiting for you. Melena and Tack will join you soon. You will all be reunited with your families; of this, I am sure of." He said last, "You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Aslan," Maxin said, darting out of the office.

Aslan sighed. "Good luck, Maxin. I hope you find your father."

~o~

The _Ebon Hawk_ was a Dynamic-class Freighter with a grey and brown plated disc-like shell. The interior was sleek and shiny, as if the events that took it away from the Jedi Knight Revan and the astromech droid, with a flat round head and a grey metal body, T3-M4 had only just recently occurred. In fact, they did occur, leaving Revan without a ship and T3-M4 destroyed. This resulted in Aslan taking matters into his own hands, driving the ship away from Vitiate's lair and arriving on the Land of Dragons, where the ship was fueled and awaited its new captain, the pilot Maxin Dooley and his companions Melena and Tack.

The second Maxin arrived at Docking Bay 4, with its enormous hangar, he was stunned to find such a new disc-like ship ready for travel. It didn't take him long to find the name of the ship written on the ramp's metal post. He smiled, liking the name.

"The Ebon Hawk," Maxin grinned. "I wonder who you belong to."

"The ship belongs to us now, and you're in charge," Melena said, joining him on the ramp. "Don't ask, but Aslan is responsible for bringing this ship to us."

"How?" Maxin asked, curious.

"Well, let's just say this ship was abandoned two days ago, in a near-future time period. Aslan took the ship before it could be stranded. It left Vitiate feeling enraged by Aslan's actions," Melena smiled. Oh, it was so good getting that out! "I would tell you the full story, but we'll let history rewrite itself. For now, we must hurry. Aslan wants this ship cloaked and hidden from Vitiate's sight. Should we wind up in his galaxy, that's when this ship will need cover. We can't let a paradox occur; otherwise, we'd be screwed."

"I understand," Maxin said, calmly.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Tack charged up the ramp in haste, carrying some luggage on his furry golden-brown back. "Let's go!"

"I thought you were turning human?" Melena asked Tack, concerned.

"Oh, it's not like anyone will suspect anything!" Tack said, gruffly. "Besides, I want to save my human form for when we meet our sisters again."

"I wonder what happened to our youngest sister. Have you heard word from her?" Melena asked, concerned.

"Who? Zeena? No one's said much about her here." Tack admitted, worried. "I wonder what she's doing right now."

"You mean she survived the journey?" Melena asked, following Tack up the ramp.

Maxin looked at his surroundings. There was no sense in staying out here, was there? He shrugged, heading up the ramp and onto the ship.

The moment Maxin stepped aboard the _Ebon Hawk_ , the first thing he noticed was how dimly-lit, but also bright in places, the hallway was. The floor was covered in grey and brown metal plated tiles, some with circular holes found here and there on the plating. The walls were tinted in shades of grey, while the light fixtures, fitted throughout the ship and on the rounded frames that lined the entrances and exits from one hallway into the next, had a light blue tint to them.

Maxin took a left, entering the starboard dormitory. Here, he found three beds lined up against a wall, with brown covers, white sheets, and a white pillow, all fluffed up and ready to use. The floor across from the beds was cleared off, giving someone ample room to meditate, if they so chose. He left the starboard dormitory, making his way down the hallway and into the garage.

The garage was spacious, complete with a wall where all the pipes were located. There was also a workbench nestled against the wall, close to the next hallway. The walls and floor were also decked in the same grey and brown colors, as was the rest of the ship. A matching pattern, or so Maxin thought. He looked over his shoulder towards the other part of the garage. Three speeder bikes, each in the colors grey, brown, and red, lined up against the wall. He supposed someone would use these speeder bikes at some point. He supposed anyway.

He moved from the garage, heading down the hallway to find a small engine room with a glowing purple light emitting from the centermost part of the room. He could only assume it was the hyperdrive. Good. At least that would be useful to get them from place to place, from galaxy to galaxy, and from world to world. Next, he came upon the medbay, which was a smaller room complete with its own twin bed with beige covers and white sheets, as well as a large grey table, standing next to the bed, useful for setting something on its surface, including medical supplies.

Maxin also found a large cargo hold, which contained food, supplies, and anything else that was useful in containers. From here, he found the port dormitory, looking identical to the starboard dormitory, with the exception of the beds being placed on the opposite wall.

The last rooms he encountered were the security/main hold, which contained at its center a large round table with many buttons, revealing holographic images and holograms of people, animals, and creatures. It must have been the holoterminal, the place where Aslan said to contact Maxin's mother, Eliza Bowler-Dooley, and the Great Lion Aslan. There was also a storage compartment, a small one, located next to the hallway where the communications room, the room with all the blue screens, control panels, and chairs embedded to the metal plated floor, were located, and the cockpit, complete with its own galaxy map, resting along the first wall close to the hallway.

It truly was a ship that would make any pilot intrigued. It certainly left Maxin impressed with the way it was built and how each room seemed to coincide with the other room next to it.

"Wow." Maxin said, joining Melena and Tack in the security/main hold room, where he announced, for all to hear, "This is my ship? Really? I get to pilot a famous ship."

"Aslan gave you this mission! He probably wanted you to contact him, too, sometime," Melena said with pride. She added, timidly, "I'm going to be your co-pilot," She lowered her head in shame. "It's better that I'm co-pilot right now. If I so much as take the helm of this ship, when it's not my mission, then I know I'm in big trouble."

"You want to own this ship?" Maxin asked, willing to give the ship to her.

Melena stared at him, quizzically. "It's not my mission. I have my own mission, same as Tack: to find our family. We need to focus on getting our missions complete, find out where your father is and where Tack's and my sisters are located. Who knows. Qua'ra and Kat'ka are probably already married and living a life of luxury, while we've been stuck here, waiting to be rescued."

"What were you doing this whole time?" Tack asked Melena, cautious.

"Well, I've been speaking with the Druids. They've been teaching me spells. I'm getting rather good at it," Melena said, happily.

"Ah. We have a shapeshifter and a witch. When did we see that one coming?" Tack shook his head, slightly aggravated.

"So, where are we heading off to first?" Melena asked, turning to her captain.

"You know I'm just a pilot, right?" Maxin was amazed he even had a ship.

"Yes, but you are commander of this ship. Have to learn responsibility at some point," Melena crossed her arm. She gestured for Maxin to follow her into the cockpit. Maxin looked back at Tack as he got to work on the maintenance for this ship. Well, good for him! At last, Maxin reached the cockpit alongside Melena, watching her gesture for him to take the pilot's chair. Melena followed in suit, before giving him some advice, "Let me tell you something: I know you're new to this, but I have faith we'll find your father and his empire. This isn't over. I just want to see that my sisters are safe. That's it."

"Then let's start looking for them," Maxin said, pulling up the galaxy map on the navicomputer. "Where are we heading off to?"

"Well, since this ship came from the future, then it's probably wise not to reveal it to Vitiate. He'll detect us. So, that's why we must keep this ship is cloaked; so, he can't track us," Melena said, admitting at once. "So, Dromund Kaas is definitely off-limits, for now."

"Right. We won't go to Dromund Kaas then," Maxin said, looking at the news feed. "Huh. The news feed says that my dad and Qua'ra were at Dromund Kaas two weeks ago before they vanished. So, they're definitely not there."

"Where would they go?" Melena asked, curious.

"It says that they escaped from the Galaxy Far, Far Away, but where they went to is uncertain," Maxin said, rubbing his nose with his index finger.

"What's the nearest galaxy from the Galaxy Far, Far Away?" Melena asked, helping him out with this task. She raised her eyebrows in interest, when Maxin pulled up a picture on the galaxy map.

"Here's something: the first galaxy they went to after they vanished, was the Seven Realms." Maxin announced, curious about the planet.

"What?" Melena asked, stunned. "You mean like the Land of Dragons, the Land of Talking Animals, the Land of Fairies, Giants, and Centaurs!" She said in appraisal.

"No," Maxin shook his head. "It's more like a medieval setting, or so it says. The kingdom Florin is there, along with Valencia, Hortensia, and more. So, there may be more than one realm there, other than the Seven Realms themselves."

"Hopefully, it isn't too bad." Melena chuckled. "What's worse? Rats of enormous size?"

Maxin rolled his eyes. Anything was better than nothing. "Let's go." He moved the lever down and zoomed out of the docking bay, heading into space. Once they were away from the Seven Realms they knew, Maxin punched in the coordinates and drove the ship through hyperspace.

He hoped this first stop was worth it. If he was lucky, there would be clues to where Parker and Qua'ra galaxy hopped to. If not, then they would have to find another planet, another galaxy, to journey to on his most-daring quest to find their families.

*.*.*

 **References:**

The _Ebon Hawk_ can be found in the "Star Wars" galaxy. Florin is from the book and film, "The Princess Bride". The other Seven Realms, including Valencia and Hortensia, comes from ABC's television show "Galavant".


	4. Xanax the Wizard

The other Seven Realms had different environments. Some lands were barren, while others were lush and filled with green grass and green leafy trees, while some lands were just plain evil. _Literally_ evil.

Yes, it was certainly an interesting land, much like the Seven Realms Maxin and his new companions had recently left.

Maxin found the docking bay, landing the _Ebon Hawk_ as smoothly as possible. He didn't take pilot training for no reason. In fact, this was putting his skills to the test and he was glad that Melena took the time to guide him on some more lessons, even though she was his co-pilot.

Oh well.

Shortly after they landed and turned off the ship, Maxin followed Melena and Tack out of the ship. Tack didn't feel like transforming into a human just yet. In fact, he nearly forgot how to transform into any creature and person he wanted. Such was the nature of a shapeshifter when they'd forgotten how to do things.

"Tack, why don't you transform into a human? I'm sure it's safe here," Melena asked, curious.

"I've forgotten how to do it. Besides, how long do you think we'll be staying here?" Tack asked, walking around the area in search of something or somebody. He looked up at a dingy clocktower, standing a ways down the street and went inside, but not before telling Melena and Maxin, "I hear this guy does a lot of great things! We'll find our families, I'll transform into a human, our problems will be resolved!"

"Who is this guy?" Maxin asked, following Tack and Melena up the wooden stairs.

"You'll see," Tack said, making his way to the top step and entering the wood-paneled room with wood paneled walls and floors. There was an assortment of red blankets and red pillows scattered throughout the ledges and floor, as well as a wooden table with vials and a mortar bowl sitting on top of the table's surface. "Xanax, you in here?"

"Xanax?" Melena and Maxin asked, cautious.

"Oomph!" a man with brunette hair, down to his shoulders, and wearing strange red robes and a green felt hat, bumped his head on a beam. He moved out from his crawlspace to greet the trio. "Xanax, at your service!"

"Xanax," Melena said, thinking the name over. "What an odd name!"

"Can you help us out?" Maxin asked the wizard, curious. "We're looking for my dad. He's a red dragonoid who goes by the name of Parker Dooley. Have you seen him?"

"Ah!" He looked at Melena in intrigue. "You my dear are a sight for sore eyes. Let me tell you this much. I can help you solve you problems!"

"You can?" Melena asked in excitement. Tack and Maxin asked the same question with a look of disdain and confusion written on their faces.

"What can you help her with?" Maxin asked, worried. "What about my dad?"

"Ah!" Xanax approached Melena, determined to help her out. "You see, my dear, Xanax fixes everything. I'm sure we can find what you're looking for!"

"You're so helpful!" Melena smiled, enjoying this.

"I thought we were looking for my dad!" Maxin complained, not liking to be ignored.

"You – we will get to your problems soon," Xanax said, ignoring Maxin and kissing Melena's hand. "Now, let's get to work." He said, fiddling with some vials and pouring the contents into a mortar. He poured some blue liquid next into the mortar, watching the smoke fume. He smiled, picking up a small spoon and offering it to Melena, Maxin, and Tack. "Of course, I'm now a spiritual guide who lives here in this clock tower. Never mind that now. Drink up!"

The moment Maxin was given the drink, and drank it, he found his mind foggy and hazy. He was offered a spot on the floor, putting his head on top of a red pillow. The song Xanax sang was mesmerizing, so mesmerizing Maxin was nearly asleep in seconds. All that changed the moment he, Tack, and Melena stood upright on their own as if invisible hands were pulling them up. Maxin opened his eyes, watching a door materialize in the room, along with Xanax standing next to the door.

"A door! There's a door!" Melena said in excitement.

Maxin felt free… wait. Really? Okay, he needed to clear his head. Good thing he was waking up, allowing him to follow Melena and Tack through the open doorway and into a house with a stage covered in hay, surrounded by various people. Maxin stared in shock at the robed people wearing masks. There was a taller robed figure, staring at his children and his wife, who was a purple, female dragonoid.

"Who is this? Where are we?" Maxin asked Melena and Tack, confused.

"Welcome back, sister," Tack said to Melena, feeling awful about this place.

"We're back in the First World," Melena said, staring at her elder brother. "This was the day our father kicked us out."

"I'm sorry. What?" Maxin asked, confused.

Melena and Tack ignored Maxin, turning their attention to the scene before them. Maxin hated to be ignored, but he guessed the only way to get his companions' attention was to face the scene before them. He turned his attention to the scene inside this hut, watching Melena and Tack, who was in his human form here, where he was a boy with light brown, curly hair and wearing red clothing. Their sisters were human, too, but were they always? Nonetheless, all the siblings were children here, while their parents apparently were the robed man wearing the mask and the female, purple dragonoid.

"Everyone is gathered here for a reason!" The Shaman of the Whills announced. "Everyone willing to meet this demand." He turned to Helen, asking her, "I'll give you one last chance to prove that you are a good dragonoid, shapeshifter, or otherwise."

"I've told you I'm a shapeshifter. What more do you want?" The purple dragonoid, Helen, asked, concerned. "I've been decent to you. I've helped us raise our children." She snarled. "You look at me with such disdain and horror. It's no wonder you decided to abandon us."

"Do you want our children to grow up mean and selfish? No? Then you should learn respect, Helen. Please, allow our children to take the escape pod. It's the only way to escape this world, the First World's, destruction," The Shaman of the Whills said, trying to reason with her.

Helen shook her head. "You know what they'll see? A father who is a coward. I'm taking our children out of this world! Then they'll see what kind of monster you are, Shaman!"

"You mean what kind of monster you've become," the Shaman said, annoyed. "Know this, Helen. If you so much as betray Parker Dooley, then I will have to assist him myself."

"Then consider this conversation over. Come along, children," Helen said, placing her hand on her children's heads, including on her stomach. A blue glow emitted from her scaly purple hand, causing each child to follow Helen willingly, as if they didn't remember anything that happened here.

"I've seen enough," Melena said, heading back through the door. Maxin followed Tack in the same direction, back to Xanax's room, unsure what to make of what they saw. As soon as the door was closed, Melena told her companions in annoyance. "I cannot believe our mother did that, Tack! If she is as evil as they've said she was, then we should have seen it! She's not here anymore, not among the living, at least."

"Helen the Shapeshifter lived as well as she did, but even she kept track of Maxin's parents, and we know her fate." Tack said, caringly. "Now, we must protect Maxin and help him find his father, as well as our sisters. It's important that we do this, Melena. We don't have to stay here anymore if you don't want to."

"But how are we to find them?" Maxin asked, confused. "We don't even know where my father and Qua'ra fled to."

"Well, if you're looking for assistance, I do have a way to help you out. Have you ever heard of Neverland? Gorgeous world – and unfortunately, Parker Dooley hightailed out of there before I had the chance to speak to him." Xanax said, out of curiosity.

"So, where did he go?" Melena asked, serious. "Maybe you know a shortcut."

"Ah. You'll have to check at Belsavis because let me tell you, he's not there either," Xanax said, laughing. "And no one can help you out, but me. So, it looks like you're out of luck."

"Where were they heading to last?" Maxin asked, curious. He received no answer. He told Melena and Tack, heading out the door, "Come on. It looks like we're galaxy hopping."

"Yeah, well I would start with Belsavis and go from there," Xanax said. "It's the closest you have to discovering that he's a prisoner in his own way."

Maxin stopped by the door leading out of Xanax's room. He faced the wizard, telling him, "Then we'll have to start there." He looked at Melena and Tack, saying, "Come on. He's not going to help us out anymore."

"Well, he did tell us about Belsavis. Let's start there!" Melena said, optimistically, following Maxin out the clocktower and back to their ship.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Maxin said, waiting until Melena and Tack were inside the ship, before joining them. The moment everyone was in the _Ebon Hawk_ , Maxin raised the ramp, before fleeing into the cockpit. Ah! It felt good to be on the ship again!

"You ready?" Melena asked, taking her seat on the co-pilot's chair.

"Yeah," Maxin said, sitting on the pilot's chair. He didn't waste time. He pressed a couple of buttons, as well as lowered the lever, before the ship kicked into action. They were off into space! That was too short a trip! Well, he hoped the trip to Belsavis was brighter than this trip; at least that's what he hoped.

*.*.*

 **References:**

Xanax is the wizard from ABC's television show, "Galavant". The Whills are from the "Star Wars" galaxy. Neverland is from J.M. Barrie's book and play "Peter Pan". Belsavis is one of the planets found in the "Star Wars" galaxy.


	5. Belsavis Prison

The first thing Maxin saw, after bringing the ship out of hyperspace and through a wormhole, leading into the Galaxy Far, Far Away, was seeing the planet Belsavis for the first time. From the view in space, Belsavis had an arctic surface with vast sheets of ice, as well as holes here and there where tropical climate took place. Maxin checked the coordinates, deciding to head to the Macula Space Station to see about a shuttle, or so it said on the navicomputer.

He moved the ship towards the docking bay, giving the ship enough room to land beyond the forcefield, protecting the station from space's climate. Maxin sighed in relief, glad the docking routine went smoothly. There was no way he was losing this ship now!

He waited until Melena and Tack were off the ship, before following them and checking on their surroundings. They were inside a huge hangar, complete with grey metal walls and floor, as well as a room off to the side, where the elevators were located. Maxin darted across the hangar, looking back once to find Melena and Tack chase after him. Tack roared, rushing up and stopping Maxin in his tracks.

"Stop! I have to find my father!" Maxin cried, not liking the golden-brown lion blocking his path.

"Maxin, we need a plan," Tack said, serious. "Do you know what this place is? The planet below is a prison and if we're not careful, we will be prisoners, too."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Melena asked, curious.

"Well, we can't be sneaking around or running all over the place," Tack explained. "Someone will catch us and then we'll be out of luck. What we need to do is act polite and just tell these Republic soldiers why we're here. Otherwise, we won't be able to explore the planet." He gestured with his head. "Now, come on! The elevator's got to be close."

"Just do as he says," Melena said to Maxin, following her brother to the elevator, while dragging Maxin along for the ride.

~o~

The trio were fortunate enough to get clearance to go down to the planet. Apparently, someone had heard of Parker Dooley and Qua'ra entering Belsavis on a mission. What that mission was remained with high security. Only they would know what the Parker and Qua'ra were looking for.

The moment after the shuttle arrived, and Maxin followed his companions off the shuttle and onto Belsavis' surface, Maxin stared in awe at the prison. It was mostly an outdoor prison, but there were also areas for each of the prisoners who were considered dangerous, highly dangerous, and for those in maximum security. Tropical life existed on this planet, which included greenery, trees, and dirt roads to get around inside the large hole, where the cliffs were covered in ice and snow.

Maxin sighed in wonder. If only this planet wasn't a prison, then he could explore it. He just hoped he would get that chance someday.

"Come on!" Melena called out to the lad, gesturing for him to follow her.

Maxin turned to Melena. He nearly hesitated to follow her. Just a little, for he ran towards her a moment later. There Melena was greeted by Tack to a Republic soldier, wearing an orange uniform, speaking to them in a distraught voice. Right as Maxin joined the group, the oddest sensation occurred. All around them, including the man in the orange uniform, had frozen. All except Maxin, Melena, and Tack.

"What?" Maxin asked, quite confused. "What is this?"

"It's my making," a purple, female dragonoid announced, stepping out of a lone house. Her clothing choice including a white shirt, a purple vest, and dark purple pants. She greeted them with ease and comfort. "My name is Solyndra. Welcome to Belsavis."

"Hi. I'm Melena, this is my brother Tack," Melena gestured to the golden-brown lion. She turned to Maxin, telling Solyndra, "And Maxin, who for some reason is enjoying himself."

"There isn't much to enjoy when you've lived on this planet as long as I have. Please forgive me for the theatrics. My powers grow stronger every day, including the power to freeze things and to make those who I froze not remember what happened to them," Solyndra declared, peacefully.

"That's odd," Maxin said, surprised. "My dad also has some powers. It's amazing what he can do!"

"Then I'm sure Parker Dooley must be a great dragonoid." Solyndra said with ease. "Come in. I'll get some tea ready." She walked into her house, waiting until Melena, Tack, and Maxin entered, before closing the door. Maxin stared stunned at the closed door. All those voices outside. They weren't talking about him, Melena, Tack, or Solyndra. Curious. It was as if the planet was awake once again.

"I know this must be a shock for you all, but after the First World's destruction, many of its citizens were jettisoned to different worlds, including new ones, forced to lead lives we didn't plan on having." She poured the tea, while the trio sat at the table. "I'm one of the lucky ones who manage to freeze things and make people forget about me or my guests. It's the only way we'll be able to get in and out of this galaxy alive. It's how I came to Belsavis and how you'll find your father, Maxin." She added, "Aslan's told me so much about you and your past. I'm surprised you're here to tell your story."

"I still blame my dad for leaving my mother and I. How do I get my father back?" Maxin asked, curious.

"Aslan knew you would come. He's hoping that you'll go galaxy hopping to learn what other creatures and peoples wound up in these worlds from the First World," Solyndra said, showing them the hologram of Aslan.

"It's true. Learn what you can and we'll go from there," Aslan said, smiling.

"I'm sorry we didn't contact you sooner, Aslan. We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into," Maxin apologized.

"It's all right, Maxin. This is your first mission! I wouldn't expect you to be skilled at it the first time through," Aslan said.

"When we came to the other Seven Realms, Tack and I learned about our past, what our mother, Helen the Shapeshifter, did to us," Melena said, determined. "Now, you expect us to learn more about our pasts and what our future holds? That makes no sense."

"Yes and no," Aslan admitted. "This whole venture was to take you to many different worlds, become the Pilots of the Galaxies, as it were. If you can handle traversing through the worlds, learning what you can about each other, your pasts, and where your families are located, then I will tell you where Parker Dooley and Qua'ra fled. You just can't go there without being prepared."

"It sounds like a plan to me," Maxin said, thanking Solyndra for the tea.

"Just know that you will meet faces from the First World on your travels, each one with their own story to tell. Most of that information you three already know, but you may yet uncover the location of the Shadow Empire's main base," Aslan said, resourceful.

"Where did Parker and Qua'ra head off to next?" Melena asked, looking from Solyndra to Aslan and back.

"Let's see!" Solyndra zoomed out on the galaxy map, revealing five galaxies that were moving away and close to each other. She pointed them out to the trio, as the map came into focus. "According to this map, the next planet you'll need to get to is Arda. Apparently, it's another stopping point on your journey to find Parker and Qua'ra."

"You sure we're not being led on a wild goose chase?" Maxin asked, cautious. He wanted to keep calm, but all this traveling from one planet to another, without a break, was getting to him. Did they really need to keep traveling like this at this pace? Couldn't they stop to rest for a moment or two?

"I can assure you, it's nothing like that," Solyndra said, coyly.

"Really? Then what's over there? More of Melena and Tack's history? What about my father?" Maxin asked, concerned. "Or are we forgetting him, too?"

"Maxin, it's nothing like that!" Melena said, worriedly.

"Is it?" Maxin asked Aslan, courteously. "Is this mission simply about Melena and Tack's quest and not about finding my father, and bringing him home?" He asked, out of pity, "Tell me, Aslan. Tell me what you know."

"Yes. This quest is more about Melena and Tack. They were the ones who came to me first," Aslan said, softly.

Maxin shook his head. "I should have known I'd wind up on a wild goose chase." He departed from the room, heading up the stairs into the next room. He didn't look back, but became surprised, when he did enter the room, with its twin bed nestled in the corner, that Melena had followed him. "I don't want your help anymore."

"You can't pilot the Ebon Hawk on your own!" Melena told him, concerned.

"You don't think I can do this?" Maxin asked, facing her. "You don't think I can face my father!"

"That's not what I meant. What I mean is you only know the Land of Dragons. You go out there and you'll be walking into your own death trap!" Melena told him, worried about him.

"This was a waste of time," Maxin said, heading out the door.

"Where are you going?" Melena asked, following him.

"To find another ship! I'm going to find my father and get out of Belsavis, alone!" Maxin said, not looking back as he made his way outside Solyndra's house and out of Melena's life, or so he hoped.


	6. Melena's Plea

It didn't take Melena long to find Maxin in Belsavis' cantina. The cantina was well constructed and revolved around a clean wide room with a yellow jukebox playing all sorts of tunes. A bar stand wrapped around the centermost part of the room, where a server was serving a small number of guests at this hour. The whole atmosphere smelled of beer and wine, but also of that strange blue liquid, this cantina had to offer. There was Maxin, playing a card game he had only just recently picked up. Melena shook her head, surprised no one was playing with him.

She approached the table, asking Maxin, "Hey! Can I join you?"

"Sure," Maxin said, hardly in the mood to speak with her. "Why did you come here? I said I was looking for a ship, not more distractions!"

"That's why I've come! If you want to abandon this mission, that's fine! You can return to the Land of Dragons and look for another ship. I was just going to take the Ebon Hawk on my own mission with Tack. We can tell Aslan that you wish to continue the search on your own," Melena said, cannily.

"And why should I believe you? It's what you wanted! To own your own ship, and now you've got that! I'd rather find another disc-like ship to pilot anyway," Maxin said, stubbornly.

"Oh, you are a foolish boy! Naïve even, but foolish," Melena said, haughtily.

"I'm nineteen! No one gave you permission to boss me around!" Maxin told her, annoyed.

"Listen, let's just get back to Solyndra's house and we can discuss this further—"

"No!" Maxin spat, fuming. "I've made up my mind. I'm staying here until I find another ship, another crew. Then you can tell Aslan that my job is done. I'd rather find my father right away than lose everything I have."

Melena huffed. She feared this would happen. "Oh, you leave me no choice. Here." She passed to Maxin a cup. "Drink." She waited until Maxin drank the liquid down, before telling him, watching him as he collapsed on the table. "It'll help you sleep for a time until you get your bearings."

"Why did you… do this?" Maxin couldn't think anymore. All his senses were out of control. The next thing he knew, he passed out on the table, with only an Ace card showing on his deck of cards.

~o~

Maxin awoke, lying on a warm bed. Brown covers and white sheets covered his body. He was still wearing the same clothes he had on hours ago, but his boots had been taken off his feet. He sat up, feeling refreshed, but with a slight headache. He gazed at the floor, spotting his boots, sitting next to his bed. He put them on, determined to have a word with Melena and Tack, wherever they were.

Yes, now he knew where he was, as he wandered throughout the ship. He was on the _Ebon Hawk_. How many days had it been? How many weeks? He found his way to the cockpit, surprised to see Melena had taken over the pilot's chair, with Tack helping her out in his lion form.

This made no sense at all!

"You're awake!" Melena cried out in joy. "Get a good night's rest? For us, it's been four weeks since we left Belsavis. It'll be almost a year by the time we get back to the Land of Dragons. Sleep well then?"

"Why did you do that? Put me to sleep?" Maxin asked, cautious. He took a seat in one of the other chairs.

"You were asking for it. Those herbs helped you sleep. It shouldn't affect you too badly," Tack said, pointedly. "Melena and I have been traveling from world to world, picking up information as we went. It turns out there was more to our story than we would have liked to know."

"We're almost there," Melena said, as they neared their destination. "And there it is! Zafna in the Centaurian System." She said as the ship came out of hyperspace and out of the wormhole.

Maxin looked on at the window, seeing a world that had lush green environment in one area and barren land in the next, as well as temperate land in another area. From the galaxy map, Maxin caught the information written on it. The Shadow Empire was here. Parker Dooley… his father was here. This was Parker's main base.

He couldn't believe it. They did it! Quest completed! Now, how were they to get home?


	7. Epilogue: Return Home

This is the last chapter for this story.

*.*.*

The _Ebon Hawk_ landed in Docking Bay 4. It took Maxin three more months to get back to the Land of Dragons, alongside Melena and Tack. He still hadn't forgiven them for putting him to sleep with those herbs, as if that helped their venture to finding Parker and Qua'ra's main base, part of their Shadow Empire.

Honestly, if Melena expected him to miss out on that much of their venture, then she had another thing coming! Oh, bother it all! He walked out of the ship feeling like he missed a grand mission. Still, something didn't feel right. There was something or someone coming, but who or what remained to be seen.

His heart thumped madly in his chest. That pull… that same pull that dragonoids had when finding their human companions, naturally leading them to find romance, seemed to grow more fiercely as he walked towards the Renegade Alliance's new base. Was she here? Was she in the war room?

Nope. His heart sagged. Oh well. He had better luck dealing with Melena and Tack than trying to find his true love—

"Maxin, you're here!" it was Eliza, his mother! She approached Maxin, embracing him. "I missed you. Did you find your father?"

"Melena and Tack found him, or at least his and Qua'ra's base. I was asleep for most of our travels," Maxin explained, not wanting to go into full details of what transpired between him and his comrades.

"Well, I'm glad you are home," Eliza said, glad to see him. "You look so changed."

"I look beat up, don't I?" Maxin said, sharply.

"I'm sure they didn't hurt you," Eliza said, concerned for him.

"Well, I hope to find another ship. Melena and Tack can have the Ebon Hawk. I'll do my own missions from now on," Maxin said, ready for another venture.

"Don't you want to stay?" Eliza asked, worried about him. "We have some catching up to do!"

"Mother, it's fine! I just need some time alone," Maxin said, heading out the door. He found a bench and sat down. What a way to end a mission. Even though it felt completed, he felt worn out, as if he didn't get to be a part of the travels. If he truly wanted to do some galaxy hopping and be known as a Pilot of the Galaxies, then he would have to be awake for it.

Well, he did manage that title, didn't he? He traveled to two galaxies on his first mission. It was better than nothing. Maybe next time, when he was better prepared, he would have a mission all to himself. For now, he was just happy to be home. And that was all that mattered to him, at least for a while.

"Hello Maxin," Aslan said, joining the lad. "Welcome home."

*.*.*

That's it for the last part in my fanfiction mini-trilogy, _The Rogue Warriors_. :)

Thanks goes to everyone who took time out of your busy schedules to read this fanfic until the end. It is much appreciated. :)

The reason I went back and rewrote/revised Chapters 5 and 6, and now with this new Epilogue, is because the story moved too fast and there were details the last time that made me feel like there was more to the story. That's why I went back and rewrote these last couple of chapters. Frankly, it's better now. So, that's what counts. :)

Next up is the final tetralogy in my Before the First Age Anthology. :) Once that is finished, we move onto the First Age series, part of my Origin Series, as well as my Long Series. This tetralogy is also where Janet and Parker meet. So, it's something to look forward to. :)

Thanks for reading. :) I'll see everyone in the next story. Bye! :)

 _Aria Breuer_


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